The document summarizes healthevidence.org, an online registry of over 3,100 quality-rated public health reviews to support evidence-informed decision making. The registry was previously known as health-evidence.ca. It provides assessments, professional development, education, and customized support. Reviews are identified through comprehensive searches of databases and journals and appraised for quality. The registry receives around 46,000 annual visits from 156 countries. User feedback helps improve features and services. Workshops and consultations also aid individual health departments in evidence-informed decision making.

1. Maureen Dobbins, PhD
Kara DeCorby, MSc
Lori Greco, MHSc
Robyn Traynor, MSc
Health-evidence.ca to
Healthevidence.org:
What’s new in public health reviews?

2. A SEARCHABLE ONLINE REGISTRY of quality-rated review literature
to support evidence-informed decision making in public health
healthevidence.org
Online registry; > 3,100 reviews
> 5,000 registered users
ASSESSMENTS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
& EDUCATION
CUSTOMIZED SUPPORT
& CONSULTATION
Who are we?
CPHA 2013
Wednesday June 12th
Background -- Objectives -- Methods -- Results -- Conclusions

3. Our Vision
Canada's public health system is one in which
organizations and individuals incorporate the
best available evidence into decision making to
promote optimal health among populations.
Background -- Objectives -- Methods -- Results -- Conclusions
To make evidence easily accessible while
developing organizational and individual
capacity for evidence-informed public health
decision making.
Our Mission
CPHA 2013
Wednesday June 12th

4. Our Goals
• To provide a best in class resource of high
quality evidence to support public health
decision making
• To improve organizational and individual
capacity for evidence-informed public
health decision making
• To contribute to the growing body of
evidence on how to facilitate and support
evidence-informed decision making in
public health
Background -- Objectives -- Methods -- Results -- Conclusions
CPHA 2013
Wednesday June 12th

5. ● International user base
● Collaboration with other McMaster databases
● Future projects
Why the change from .ca to .org?
Background -- Objectives -- Methods -- Results -- Conclusions
CPHA 2013
Wednesday June 12th

6. Methods
Comprehensive search strategy
● Electronic databases
● Hand searching of 46 public health journals
● Reference Lists
Screening & Pre-appraisal
● Relevance to public health
● Quality assessment rating weak, moderate or
strong
Background -- Objectives -- Methods -- Results -- Conclusions
CPHA 2013
Wednesday June 12th

7. Define the
question
Search for
evidence
Appraise
the quality
Interpret
Assess
applicability
Decision
Background -- Objectives -- Methods -- Results -- Conclusions
Steps of EIDM
CPHA 2013
Wednesday June 12th

8. Searching healthevidence.org
CPHA 2013
Wednesday June 12th

9. Results
 3,100 quality-appraised reviews
 Evidence summaries to support use of
reviews
 EIDM tools
 Research to evaluate
 ~46,000 visits annually from 156 countries
Background -- Objectives -- Methods -- Results -- Conclusions
CPHA 2013
Wednesday June 12th

10. ● User feedback contributed greatly to our new
features, as well as which services are most
helpful
● Workshops and knowledge brokering services
are ongoing with individual health departments
on a fee-for-service basis
● We remain committed to meeting the needs of
public health and welcome all feedback about
how we can do that!
Conclusions
Background -- Objectives -- Methods -- Results -- Conclusions
CPHA 2013
Wednesday June 12th

11. Visit us online…
www.healthevidence.org
info@healthevidence.org
Or contact us…
CPHA 2013
Wednesday June 12th